7-29 SS Sage Grouse

It seems like every time I turn around, somebody in Congress is talking about sage grouse. Preserving their habitat is a huge issue. Once seen in great numbers across the West, Greater Sage-Grouse have declined in number over the past century because of the loss of sagebrush habitats essential for their survival.  Because of a court-ordered settlement, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has until 2015 to make a final determination on listing the Greater Sage-Grouse under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Recently, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson has gotten into it, as noted by his spokesperson Nikki Watts discussing a recent bill before Congress: “Language delaying the listing of the sage-grouse as an endangered species for one year to enable states and federal agencies to complete work on sage-grouse management plans.”

 According to bird hunting blogger Bob Gwizdz, “Sage grouse hunting has come under attack in recent years, not so much from anti-hunters–they don’t care any more or less about stopping sage grouse hunting than they do stopping hunting, period–but from environmentalists who want to stop energy development across the West.  So if you are having a question about whether or not to go sage grouse hunting, and they are lots of fun to hunt, you might want to think about quail or pheasant or just staying home and having a beer.